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Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Live Life in Hyperbole

What soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul.

--Yiddish Proverb

Laughter--there's nothing quite like it. In the moment of a laugh, cares are at the very least pushed to the very, very back burner--if not dismissed entirely. It's an expression of joy, of pain, of frustration, of peace. It's a chance to remind yourself, "Hey self, guess what? Life is pretty darn great." And when that self of yours fully agrees with the above statement, the response is laughter.

Well, it is for me, anyway.

I've been told that I laugh a lot. Actually, that's an understatement. I've been told that I laugh at everything. And though my usual response is, "Oh, come on, I don't laugh at everything," I can't honestly deny that the statement really is fairly accurate. When I am happy, I laugh. When I'm frustrated, laughter is what keeps me under control. Thus far, the only effective source of stress management I've been able to find is laughing. Should I find myself embarrassed, laughing makes it better. When sadness comes upon me, I remember the blessings of life and laugh a little more. There are times when I feel so much joy that the only thing I can do is laugh about how happy I am. And you had better believe that I will laugh long and hard at anything funny--especially if it's because someone tripped.

I believe that life should be lived in hyperbole. Life should be experienced to the fullest--none of this floating-along-and-skimming-the-surface garbage. Come on now, don't you know what's out there waiting for you? Of course you don't, none of us do--but that's why you've gotta go out there and find it! The only way to guarantee that nothing spectacular is in store for you is to assume it. You will go as far as your dreams take you. So dare to dream! It is a dangerous thing to hold back your dreams--in so doing you run the risk of losing the ability to become something greater than yourself. Scary as it may be, let them grow and develop; let them be whatever they intended to be. Become the person of your dreams.

Don't be afraid of failure. Failure is a sign that success is soon to come. Failure means that you're trying, that you're investing yourself, that you care about what you're doing. No one fails at something they don't care about--they can't. You cannot fail if you do not try. True failure requires an emotional commitment and, because of that deeper connection, you come to realize that it isn't failure at all. There is no failure in trying--getting out and approaching a task head-on is a success, regardless of the results. There is no need to fear failure because there is no failure to fear.

When life gets tough, remember that it is okay to feel sadness and grief. Were it not for the difficult moments, we could not enjoy the wonderful ones. It is only through the darkness of the storm that we can appreciate the brilliance of the sunshine--but we must remember that there is beauty in all things. Isn't it beautiful that we can feel such love for someone that we mourn the loss of their presence? Isn't it beautiful that we can be so committed to something that it pains us to not be our best? I believe that there is beauty in all things, in every moment. There is beauty in the brilliance of the sunshine, and getting caught in a thunderstorm is always cleansing for the soul. If we remember to look, we will see that all things in life are filled with beauty.